Roving Heat
by firsttimefan
Summary: Nikki Heat's, Natalie Rhodes, was maybe a bit more determined than we all thought and Castle for one is not sure her persistence is a star quality.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't. 

Based on episode 3.11 where Natalie Rhodes shadows Beckett for Nikki Heat character research.

Hope you like it.

Roving Heat

"Castle!"

"Let me in, let me in!"

"What?" She felt her confusion scrunch her brow but he was already squeezing past her before she could swing the door wider, almost clipping his face on the side of the jam as he shot an anxious look over his shoulder. She scanned the hallway and didn't see anyone on his heels. Taken aback, she didn't even have the presence of mind to berate herself for overreacting with cop instincts just because Castle had materialized at her door.

It was enough of a surprise that he was here at all. He helped carry the scant luggage she had reclaimed and acquired after her last apartment went up, but he certainly hadn't been here since she was fully settled just before the summer.

Speaking of summer, Josh was going to be here after his shift to pick her up and she hadn't even started getting ready.

She quickly shut the door and tried to calculate the odds of balancing her night out l with whatever Castle-ness she was about to be enveloped in. They weren't favorable. Having braced herself for family trouble, paranoia, or even a crazy theory he couldn't keep to himself, she was left further off-kilter to see that he looked relatively relaxed now he was inside. The panic on his face when he pushed past for entry had set her nerves on alert, thinking of worst case scenarios; a mugger or homicidal fan chasing him…If he wasn't screaming at her yet, it looks like she had been over estimating whatever had driven him here. Already he seemed more interested in the décor of the room than his own problems, his eyes flickering around restlessly in keeping with the residual nervous energy she could see was still pent in his tall frame.

"Castle, what the hell is going on?"

"It's Natalie," he groaned, recaptured. "She won't leave me alone."

Then again, maybe she wasn't paranoid after all.

"Could you explain that to me?" she asked.

"She's following me everywhere!"

"You were the one who said she was just dedicated to the role." What was Natalie after this time if not…character research? With no 'permission', what could she be doing to make Castle this jumpy?

"That's why she's following you!" he protested. "She's not playing Jameson Rook. Besides, I haven't heard the word 'research' since she pushed me against a wall."

Kate bit back the irrational jealousy at the image. It had nothing to do with her; she was going out with Josh tonight.

"So if she's not researching, what does she want with you? To talk about her character? Ask you about…" she caught the uncomfortable look on his face. "Oh," she said, understanding.

"Apparently she doesn't take no for an answer."

Kate felt a burn of anger spice the jealousy and she tried to stay focused. Apparently Natalie decided she didn't want to wait for permission. Fans they saw around the city, asking for an autograph over coffee didn't bother her anymore, but Natalie Rhodes' single-minded determination to get her partner into bed for character research set her teeth on edge and teased her blood pressure up.

"I feel for you, I do," she told him. "But I don't see what I'm supposed to do about it."

"Can't you just hide me?"

"Hide you?" she snorted a laugh. "Until she gets back on a plane?"

He looked at her pleadingly. "Please, Beckett. She already charmed my doorman. It's not safe at home anymore."

"She can't be that bad, surely."

"She sat on my lap – in front of Alexis! Please!"

"Okay," she breathed, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Okay… Places to hide you…"

"Can't I just stay here?"

"No, you can't," she shook her head lightly. At his hurt expression she elaborated reluctantly, "I'm sorry, but Josh is picking me up in an hour."

And there it was; the slightest tensing of the muscles around his eyes.

"What about a hotel?" she offered, not caring that her attempt to gloss over her boyfriend's imminent arrival was painfully transparent.

"I tried that, but she found me."

She felt her mouth drop open just the smallest amount, "You're kidding."

"I wish I was."

"How?"

"I don't know," he swallowed. "Maybe she got someone at the precinct to run my credit card."

Unfortunately, that was a very real possibility. A bat of her eyelashes and Natalie could get half the men to do anything she asked. Probably the women too. Sometimes she really didn't like famous people.

Like authors who were friends with the mayor and got themselves a gig shadowing her? She asked herself sweetly. She had been livid at the time…the boys, still new to her team at the time, thought it was hilarious, seeing her get so wired up.

"Can you stay with the guys tonight?"

"Ryan and Esposito?" he sounded incredulous.

A tinge of resentment washed over her at his reaction. Sure Ryan just got engaged, but he didn't have to sound so appalled she had suggested he hole away with them for a night. What was wrong with them? They were his friends, too. The three of them got on so well, it was natural for them to occur to her. All three together made 'the boys', despite Castle's wealth and large number of friends. Sometimes she had to remind herself that he wasn't just a normal cop in her team with a modest number of acquaintances.

"How do I know they weren't the ones that ran it for her?" he continued obliviously.

Oh. So he had considered them. Of course he did, she shook her head.

"So, any ideas?" his eyebrows jovially high.

"Uh," she hummed, unable to even guess at the range of his social network.

He looked at her hopefully, but she was drawing a blank. When she didn't reply, his face fell slightly and the line of his shoulders slumped a little.

"Yeah," he sighed. "Sorry."

"It's fine."

"No, I'm going to make you late for your date."

"Castle," she scoffed. "I'm not about to throw you out. I have about a half hour, so here's my compromise: You make me a drink and keep thinking, and I'll get ready."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah," she smiled.

"Okay, great. Go," he fluttered his hands, shooing her away. "Go and get dressed."

Her eyebrows rose at his dismissal and he dropped his hands with a grin and a shrug. She turned and was almost at the threshold to her room before his call stopped her.

"Hey Beckett! Do you rent out the safe houses?"

She just shook her head and kept moving, her quiet chuckle not hidden by her retreating back.

…

"Beckett!" he hissed, skidding to a stop at her doorway. Half way through the process of pulling up her dress' zip, she froze. He seemed equally stunned, the swallowing movements in his throat clearly visible.

"Castle!" she choked.

He blinked and stumbled for her. "She's here," he sounded strangled. "I checked through the peephole and it's her."

"You answered my door?!" she exclaimed, hearing the sharp knock she must have missed the first time.

"No, I just checked to see who it was," he explained hurriedly shoving her iPod at her and crouching behind the far side of her bed. "Tell her you were listening to music," he called hoarsely.

"Castle!"

"Get the door!" he hissed, hidden from view.

She glared at him and hurried over to her door, feet bare and the back of her dress still not fully fastened. When she got within a few feet she heard a metallic scraping and she snatched at the locks. Natalie Rhodes was not breaking into her apartment.

To her credit, Natalie looked perfectly poised, greeting her with no more than a beaming smile when she got the door open. "Detective Beckett!"

"Natalie."

"Don't you just look stunning?" the actress' eyes roved the detective before stepping into the apartment and circling her. "Ah," she exclaimed. "Missed a spot," her hands drew the rest of the zip up without warning and Kate fought a flinch.

"Can I help you, Natalie?"

"Oh, don't mind me," Natalie threw over her shoulder, moving further into the apartment and looking it over carefully. When she caught sight of the two cups of coffee sitting on the kitchen island she turned to give Kate a scrutinizing look.

"Company already?" she asked, looking between the two cups of ready coffee and Kate's bare feet and temporary, un-styled messy bun.

"My boyfriend is due soon, it's for him," Kate improvised. "And I'm running a little behind."

"I didn't know you had a boyfriend. Is he tall?"

"Yes," Kate answered, unsure where this line of questioning was going.

"Dark?"

"Yes."

"Talented fingers?" Natalie asked archly, skipping the traditional third qualifier and catching her off guard.

Kate couldn't keep her composure and felt a blush heating her cheeks.

"Come on, Kate," Natalie wheedled. "What's a little chat between girls?"

Kate still made no move to answer, acutely aware that Castle was eavesdropping intently from the next room.

"From the look on your face, I'm going to have to take that as a 'yes'," Natalie smirked. "You know, I thought he would be. One look at him and I could see that, and of course he uses his hands all day."

Kate looked at her in confusion. "One look?" she asked. She just said she didn't even know I had a boyfriend, Kate frowned.

"Sure," Natalie breezed on. "Do you mind?" she gestured to the coffee and Kate could only dumbly shake her head quickly. "It's just going cold, and no one drinks lukewarm coffee."

The actress cradled it in her palms and stared at the painting dominating Kate's living room. Almost absently she took the first sip and immediately dropped her eyes to the mug.

"This one's yours," she passed it to Kate, doubling back to the kitchen and picking up the cup Castle had prepared for himself. She cautiously took a sip as Kate tried to reign in her resentment; Natalie shouldn't know what her coffee tasted like, the java thief. It was their coffee…her coffee.

The sly smile pulling at Natalie's face stopped the mutinous recollection and kicked the nerves in her belly into action. Oh God, what now?

"It tastes like Rick," the actress grinned.

"What?"

"Cream and two sugars," Nikki shrugged, still smug. "Just the way I like it."

Castle wasn't kidding, Natalie wasn't pulling any punches.

"You know, I don't know why you two don't just come out," Natalie tossed casually over her shoulder, browsing the titles in Kate's bookcase.

"I'm sorry?"

"You and Castle."

Is that was she was getting at? Tall, dark, talented fingers from typing. "That is not Castle's coffee. Castle is not my boyfriend," Kate enunciated very clearly, hoping to get through to this woman.

"Kate," Natalie chided.

"I have a boyfriend," Kate said. "He's a surgeon."

"Ooh," Natalie drew her shoulders up around her ears and pouted her lips, clearly not believing her.

"And Castle has a girlfriend."

"I know, I ran his background at the precinct."

Kate's mouth dropped.

"It was a test," the actress explained airily. "I told you I was going to do you better than you. No one caught on that it wasn't you at your desk."

"You did a background check on Castle?" Kate repeated, trying to comprehend it. "On my computer."

"And financials," Natalie beamed, obviously proud of herself. "He's been hiding from me, so I had to get a location. He had checked into the hotel, but I just flashed my badge and the staff let me right on up. I just can't believe I lost him," she shook her head in disappointment. "Anyway, I talked to Gina, his ex-wife, and she said that if he was hiding anywhere, you'd be the person to ask, so here I am."

"You talked to Gina," Kate stated. "And she didn't care that you were looking for him?"

"No, she said it was a great idea for the actors and the author to talk. Besides, from what I could tell, they aren't on very good terms. They've been fighting a lot."

There was a nervous flutter in her stomach at the news, but she breathed through it, going for unaffected. "I'm sorry to hear that, but I really don't think I can help you."

"You two have something, and he's clearly not in it with Gina. You must have an idea where he is," the actress pushed, shaking the mug slightly for emphasis.

"Have you tried Detective Esposito?" Kate tried to sidestep.

"He said Rick was probably here."

Kate grit her teeth. Bloody Esposito, so much for team loyalty. Or what was it? Bros before Hoes?

"I'm afraid I'm not very well acquainted with the majority of Castle's acquaintances. There are probably hundreds of houses and apartments he could be."

Natalie huffed out a frustrated breath, obviously ceding to Kate's point.

"If I can ask," Kate cleared her throat. "I thought you were only interested in Castle for, uh, research."

"Oh no, I did my research."

"What?"

"Oh, not like that," Natalie reassured her. "Yet. No I'm not really interested in just the research side of it anymore. He's actually pretty interesting."

She felt insulted on his behalf. Pretty interesting? Richard Castle, 'pretty interesting'?

"I thought it was a lost cause after he put me down the other night, but you assure me he's straight, so I put my new skills to use and did some digging. You'd be so proud of me, the people down in records and at the paper didn't know the difference between us at all. Looks like I've successfully mastered the ways of Beckett."

Kate felt her eyes bugging out. She used her acting to pull official files?

"He has a pretty cool history, actually. I found some pretty nice shots of him on the net," she added. "Does he work out with you too? From the art shots at his arrest, he definitely does something. Naked in March and I couldn't even tell."

Kate felt her face flushing. It was so strange to think about Castle as a piece of meat.

"I never asked you about that actually," Natalie recalled, the sly look on her face fading abruptly to her intent, 'researching' face. "What is your work out routine like? Can you really do all the things Rick wrote in his book?"

Despite the way 'Rick' grated on her, she was relieved to be back into safe territory. "I do aerobic exercise four times a week with anaerobic weights and sparring twice a week. Often it's hard to squeeze in with cases, meaning a lot of early mornings but sometimes though, it's just a good release after being in the box, or when we get a string of dead ends."

"And does your trainer have any special privileges?"

"No," Kate said emphatically. "That was all Castle's imagination. I've never done anything like that."

"Because you have a boyfriend?" Natalie pushed.

"No," Kate shook her head. "I've always thought defending yourself or trying to injure another is more than enough of a workout with my trainers."

Natalie opened her mouth to ask another question, but Kate cut her off. "Look Natalie, I don't mean to be rude, but I really have to finish getting ready, so…" she swept her hand towards the door.

"Does that mean I can have your coffee? I think I like yours more after all."

…

Will update soon as I've almost finished, I just had to split it for length purposes.

Let me know what you thought as I have some other oneshots based on old episodes I'm working on and would like to know if there is any interest.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't. 

Based on episode 3.11 where Natalie Rhodes shadows Beckett for Nikki Heat character research.

Hope you like it.

**Thanks for all the great comments!**

Roving Heat

_Natalie opened her mouth to ask another question, but Kate cut her off. "Look Natalie, I don't mean to be rude, but I really have to finish getting ready, so…" she swept her hand towards the door._

"_Does that mean I can have your coffee? I think I like yours more after all."_

…

"What the hell am I going to do now?" Kate demanded into her deceptively empty bedroom as soon as she shut her door. "Where are you?" she asked again, taken aback by the utter silence and lack of writer. Her eyes flickered to her window and she noted it was still closed and locked.

There was a muted groan and sounds of awkward shuffling before his head appeared out from under her side of the bed. He was breathing a little heavily from his squirming but his face was dominated by a childish smile at having found such a great hiding spot. And it was good, she would have never guessed he would be able to fit himself under her low bed. As long as he didn't get himself stuck. She could just see herself trying herself trying to explain that to Josh tonight.

"How did you get under there?"

"Magic," he huffed. "Awesome, right?"

"Magic?" she repeated. "Well why don't you make her disappear?"

"Beyond my humble skills," he whispered, shooting a nervous look at the door. Kate huffed and sat heavily over him on the edge of her bed. His disgruntled squeak couldn't keep the smile on her face for longer than a second.

"What are we supposed to do now?" she muttered, staring at her wall.

"Well," he whispered back, his muffled voice down near her ankles. "Can I just mention how lovely your legs are?"

"God, Castle," she bit out, swinging her legs up onto the bed until she was lying draped over the bed on her stomach with just her head over the edge, a mirror image of Castle trapped under the bed.

"There you are," he smiled.

"Watch it or I'll invite Natalie in to bounce on my bed. I'm sure she'd want to know how soft Nikki Heat's bed is."

His mouth dropped open and she smirked victoriously.

"Wow," he swallowed.

"Come on, Castle, think."

"Right. Thinking."

"Well?"

"You're my muse," he grumbled. "How about a little help?"

"Are you serious?"

"Sorry," he shrugged. "I really am," he added more seriously.

"Don't worry about it," she muttered. "I don't blame you. I can't believe she ran your background and financials. On my computer."

"We created a monster," he shuddered.

"Who is now setting up camp in my living room, convinced you'll be the one knocking on the door in…ten minutes," Kate added, checking her watch.

"Well at least you don't have to worry about Josh finding me under your bed," Castle offered. "He's going to be far more interested in the movie star staking out your living room."

"I'm putting Esposito on desk work for a week," she grated quietly.

"I heartily agree, but as much as I love talking to you, you need to get out."

"You can't kick me out of my own room."

"If you don't get out there, she's going to come in here."

She stared at him and he nodded. She grimaced and reluctantly rolled off her mattress, bouncing once over his stomach. She chuckled at his pained groan and turned to her closet, feeling his pout and curious gaze assessing her wardrobe when she pulled it open. He was nothing if not highly distractible.

"Not those ones," he called quietly when she stooped to collect a pair of her glossy black stilettos. She pivoted on the balls of her feet, still crouched with her knees close to the ground and threw him a look over her shoulder. "Your dress is amazing," he continued earnestly, making her cheeks heat up. "Go for the black suede pair, they won't detract from the dress."

"Thanks."

"No problem."

…

"Can I help you?" Natalie asked, completely at ease opening the front door.

"Uh," Josh shot a look over the blonde hair, meeting Kate's eyes which she could feel were tight with indignation. "Kate?"

"Hi, Josh," Kate made her way to her door. She came to a stop close off Natalie's shoulder, assuming the normal, ingrained sense of personal space would shift Natalie from her post at the door. Why was she answering other people's doors anyway? Unfortunately, Natalie seemed equal amounts puzzled and intrigued by the doctor and made no show of budging from her sentry position. Both Kate and Josh looked at each other uncomfortably, Kate that she had moved herself into the woman's space, and Josh at being nearly examined by a strange woman who had barred his entry to his girlfriend's apartment.

He cleared his throat and pushed his way gently past the actress to bend and drop a kiss on Kate's lips. "Sorry I'm late," he murmured. "My last patient had some unforeseen complications."

"It's okay," she told him, taking a moment to uncharacteristically hide herself in his shoulder.

"This is your boyfriend?" Natalie asked.

"Josh, Natalie Rhodes. Natalie, Josh," Kate waved her hand tiredly between them. Josh must have picked up on it and after shaking hands with Natalie, stepped back and drew Kate into his side, pulling her tight in an invitation to lean on him.

"Nice to meet you," he smiled, and Kate thanked God for his ability to sooth people. She was all out of diplomacy at this point.

"Hi," Natalie smiled back, unconsciously turning the celebrity dazzle back on at meeting someone for the first time. To his credit, he just nodded politely and turned back to Kate.

"You just about ready?"

"Yeah, just give me ten minutes," Kate replied.

He kissed the side of her head and she headed for the en suite bathroom where her hair irons were and hoped Josh would take the hint if she closed the door. Hopefully he would just brush it off as a privacy thing. Hopefully Natalie would keep him so busy he wouldn't have time to come and look for her. Hopefully she wouldn't scare him into coming looking for her in an attempt to escape.

"Castle?" she whispered.

"Josh is here, too." The muffled words weren't a question. How good was his hearing anyway?

"Yeah," she crouched down and looked under her bed where he had the good sense to retreat. At thirty she was concealing a man under her bed for the first time. It was the sort of thing she thought she would never have to worry about having long since been independent. It figures that it would be Castle that would demote them back into clichéd teenage awkwardness. At least if either of her other visitors came in suddenly, she could just say she thought she had dropped her hair band under the bed or something.

"Great," he sighed, turning his face to look at her.

"Look, I'll get us all out of here as soon as I can and you can just lock up on your way out."

"Text me if Natalie stakes out the entrance to the building when you kick her out."

"I'll send her on a wild goose chase."

"Best Partner Ever."

"Only Partner Ever," she smirked and moved quickly into her bathroom and retouched her make up.

Kate tried to work quickly, conscious of Castle's uncomfortable position and more than a little paranoid at the thought of all the questions Natalie was probably asking Josh without her there to spearhead them. This was just not going to end. She held her hand over the hair iron, trying to judge if it was hot enough to use already without waiting for the LED to approve.

A high scream made her fumble the appliance and her heart gave a painful drop as her adrenaline levels spiked higher.

Her head whipped around to her bed at the low whimpers and a short series of thumps. It was only two or three muted knocks on her floor but with her door already being opened, she felt her eyes widening at his stupidity.

She heard 'spider' and 'face' and 'eww' and more whimpers, but thankfully no more screams.

Bloody Castle.

"Kate?" Josh asked, knocking on the door and pushing it open in the same movement. "You okay?"

She swallowed. "Uh, sure. Just uh, you know…"she cast around for an excuse. "Burnt myself on the iron."

His brows furrowed and he immediately moved to take her injured hand, "Let me see."

"I'm fine," she told him seriously, seeing Natalie follow Josh into the room. "More surprise than anything. Promise."

"You're sure?"

"It's nothing, trust me. Now out so I can finish getting ready."

"You're already beautiful," he stepped in for a kiss and she was painfully aware of Castle listening to everything. Fortunately, in deference to Natalie's presence, he dropped it on her forehead, but that was enough to tighten her up guiltily, and she hated it. She should not be guilty that her boyfriend gave her a kiss. Especially not such a G-Rated one. But she knew if the positions were reversed, having to listen to Castle and Gina wouldn't make her sick, so much as break a little more of her heart.

"Hah," she tried to steer the atmosphere back to a safer place. "I'll be out in five minutes. Tops," she promised.

He bent closer to kiss her, but she used her grip on him to hold him away, glancing at Natalie as an explanation. He gave a tight smile but nodded and gave her bare arm a stroke before heading back out into the room. His step only hitched briefly when he realised Kate's other guest did not follow him out, but when Kate didn't say anything continued with a shrug.

"You know," Natalie scanned the room. "It smells like Castle in here."

Kate felt herself tense up but forced herself to relax her face at least. "Just your imagination."

Natalie hummed noncommittally, not even seeming to acknowledge the response. Under Kate's wary surveillance, the other woman opened her wardrobe and Kate could only close her eyes briefly in thanks that Castle hadn't chosen it as his hiding place.

It became a little disturbing however when she caught the sound of sniffing. God, what was this woman? Part bloodhound?

"Do you have any of his clothes?" Natalie asked out of nowhere.

"Josh?" deliberately misunderstanding.

"Castle."

"Why would I?" Kate tried to bluff.

"So this is Josh's?" Natalie asked blandly, pulling out the deep royal blue oxford Kate always kept hanging on a hook inside the wardrobe door. The look of puzzlement was far too studied to fool the professional actress, but with Castle within spitting distance, all her energy was concentrated on not looking like a teenager. She used to sleep in it until she started up with Josh. Demming hadn't had the opportunity to examine her wardrobe, but she didn't think Josh would appreciate finding his girlfriend dressed in another man's clothes.

"Oh, that?" she finally admitted. "I had to stay with Castle for a bit last year. I must have…" she broke off vaguely.

"That's not it," Natalie disagreed. "It smells like you."

There was a slight twitch of sound from under her bed and her blush got hotter. Thankfully, Natalie had diverted her attention back to the closet and Kate took the opportunity to try and regain control over herself the way she would in an interrogation.

And then came a sneeze.

Natalie snapped her eyes to Kate who brought her hand to her nose a little late. Then came a second, more restrained expulsion of air and a thump, probably of Castle's head hitting the floor after reflexively curling up with the power of the sneeze.

Kate held her breath but her second, impossibly more annoying shadow, was already striding to the bed.

"NYPD!" Natalie barked.

Kate drew her back up from the clutch on her dresser, leaving it on safety, knowing Castle would understand when Natalie inevitably dragged him out from under the bed. What police detective wouldn't move to arm themselves in a home invasion? The actress was already kneeling on the floor to get a look at her assailant when Josh burst in. His eyes bugged out at the sight of Kate with her weapon trained on the bed.

"Castle!" Natalie exclaimed.

"Castle?" Josh demanded incredulously as Castle's sandy brown head of hair wormed its way into view a whole lot less perfect than he usually kept it.

"What are you doing here?" Kate broke over them, feeding Castle a line and hoping like hell he had spent his time under there thinking of a story in case he was discovered. "Why are you under my bed?"

"Detective Beckett," he smiled cautiously. His eyes flickered to the two others in the room and nodded a greeting to them as best he could with just his head free of the heavy bed frame. "Josh. Natalie."

"Castle," Josh responded, still staring as if trying to decide if he was actually witnessing the scene.

"Do I want to know?" Kate asked, extending her free hand to help pull him out into the open space of her room.

"You did ask," he grunted. "Just don't hurt me."

"And?" she prompted, genuinely curious as to what story he had concocted to explain away his effort to hide from Natalie's advances.

"Research," he shrugged, impressively offhand as he stood up and brushed himself off, completely at ease. "Nikki gets forced with Rook under a bed, hiding from two dangerous corporate spies who break into their apartment in the night and I was just trying to think the scene through."

"What's wrong with the beds at your loft?" she tried to sell her disbelief to Natalie.

"I don't fit," he admitted with aplomb.

"How did you get under there?" Natalie asked, sidling closer.

"I, uh," Castle started, throwing a nervous look at her more befitting something poisonous than a movie star. "I have a friend who used to be a contortionist with a circus. He taught me a few things."

"That sounds amazing," Natalie purred, inching closer still and he shot Kate a desperate look.

"Well," she tried to sound unaffected at Natalie's advances on her friend. "Did you get the scene sorted?"

"I'm going to have to rewrite it," he grimaced, convincingly chagrined. "It wouldn't have worked."

"Why?" Josh asked, surprising both Castle and Kate with his interest.

"While I may have struggled to conceal myself, with Nikki and Beckett being as small as they are, it would be the first place anyone looked as it's more than enough space for them," the answer, considering the scene he was making up as he went along, was flawless; the ease with which he could create authentic, intricate scenes with no warning still surprising even her. "Also, there's no practical escape or good angle for returning fire."

Josh nodded thoughtfully, obviously picturing the scene.

"It would be suicidal, not to mention bloody uncomfortable," Castle concluded. "Seriously Beckett, how often do you dust under there?"

She sent him flat stare and he snapped his mouth closed comically, raising his eyebrows in an innocent way. The whole thing was so smooth it might as well have been rehearsed.

"Yes, well," he said a few seconds later. "I guess my work here is done, so I'll just…" he motioned towards the door.

"Just keep in mind, the next time you break into my apartment I will shoot you."

"Understood."

"You know, Castle," Josh spoke up, stopping Castle's retreat for the door. "We were just going out to dinner. If research was all you had planned for the night, why don't you join us?"

Oh god, no. Kate shook her head tightly, not enough for Josh to catch and Castle immediately understood though most of his attention on the actress who had started moving with him. Kate wanted to help him, she did, and keeping him at the restaurant would at least still Natalie's hand temporarily, but Josh had been far too interested in the author and she couldn't see how having the two men in the same space was going to be beneficial.

"I'd love to," Castle smiled politely. "But, if I have to rework that scene, I'm pretty far behind my publisher's deadline. That wouldn't usually bother me but she seems to be branching out and discovering new ways to torture me into compliance."

Castle turned to smile at Natalie as he said this, making it apparent to Kate what his current punishment was. Gina had deliberately set Natalie after him. That was pretty vicious.

She wondered at that. Had she been in Gina's shoes, she wouldn't have sent such a beautiful, famous, annoyingly persistent woman after her man. Fighting or not, Gina must have a lot of faith in Castle. Well founded, Kate admitted. The man was doing everything to avoid temptation.

"You know Castle," Natalie told him, practically said directly into his ear. "Since I read your books, I've been really interested in the writing process. I'd love for you to show me how you come up with such honest, exciting scenes. I'd love to know how you can make Heat so hot."

Castle's practiced smile slipped and became pained. Okay, she had officially gone too far.

"You can't be that behind, Castle," she interrupted Natalie's offer. "At least no more than usual, right?"

He looked at her questioningly, his eyes hopeful. "I thought if I completed it on time Gina's heart attack would be just revenge, but perhaps that is a little unsporting. I can't go changing work habits on her account. She'll just have to come up with more creative ways to punish me."

"That's perfect. I've never been a third-wheel before," Natalie invited herself.

"Why am I not surprised?" Kate mumbled.

…

**This is as far as I thought I'd take it. I started writing the restaurant scene yesterday, but I think it's just better left imagined don't you? I'll work at it a little if you want, but I think if it doesn't pick up, it'll drag everything down. Sorry.**

**Thanks for reading.  
**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't. 

Based on episode 3.11 where Natalie Rhodes shadows Beckett for Nikki Heat character research. Hope you like it.

**Sorry for the wait, I said I was working on it, and here it is. Apologies for the comparative lack of humor…**

Roving Heat

…

"_You can't be that behind, Castle," she interrupted Natalie's offer. "At least no more than usual, right?"_

_He looked at her questioningly, his eyes hopeful. "I thought if I completed it on time Gina's heart attack would be just revenge, but perhaps that is a little unsporting. I can't go changing work habits on her account. She'll just have to come up with more creative ways to punish me."_

"_That's perfect. I've never been a third-wheel before," Natalie invited herself. _

"_Why am I not surprised?" Kate mumbled. _

…

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Castle stood off her shoulder and watched as Josh went to notify the wait staff of their arrival.

"No."

"Should I start apologizing now?" The way he waited on her approval and adjusted himself to her while she was technically on a date struck Kate uncomfortably. Not that the dynamic was unusual between them but it left her very conscious that she had let Josh take the control. Invite Castle out. Get the table. She didn't mind, but it was unusual for her to be hanging in the middle of a situation. Her only experience was mediating between the captain and the rest of her team. Somehow she didn't think tonight was going to be quite that smooth.

"That won't be necessary. Just be aware that I expect you to help me hide the body."

"Deal," he muttered, grazing her little finger with his own. Pinkie promise.

Natalie waved them over, beaming and undoubtedly convinced that it was her star status which had allowed them to stretch their reservation for a table of four. As much as it grated to admit, she was probably right. They stopped to check in their coats and Josh was still chatting quietly to Natalie when Castle slid her jacket off her shoulders and passed it to the waiting staff member along with his own. It wasn't a move she would usually allow, especially not with her boyfriend and their mutual shadow so close, but twisting her shoulders to remove it would have upset the fit of her dress, so she let it pass.

"I got us the corner by the window," Natalie smiled but didn't seem too exultant, more like she just expected it all along. Kate wasn't sure which attitude she preferred.

Castle let Natalie slide in first, citing the view as an excuse, but Kate knew he probably was uncomfortable sitting where he couldn't excuse himself easily. Kate commended him silently on not letting himself get cornered the way he had in the elevator.

Kate didn't feel her jaw tighten until her teeth were protesting the pressure. God, how many times had she told herself it had nothing to do with her? Apparently not enough to let the indignation go or stop reminding herself that Castle had turned Natalie down. Not her problem.

Josh slid in opposite Natalie in a logical move. Two men both well over six feet couldn't really share the same leg space. That left her facing across from her two shadows and trying not to play footsy with Castle while Josh slid his arms around her shoulders.

"So," Josh started, trying to relieve the tension she was sure he could feel across her shoulders.

"So," Castle repeated while Natalie smiled on obliviously.

"Natalie was just telling me about wrapping up the case today," Josh frowned. "The suspect pulled a gun on you?"

"I don't think he even took the safety off," Castle smiled placidly, playing it down and Kate was thankful. Josh knew very little about the darker side of her job and that's the way she wanted to keep it as long as possible, especially after the way he reacted to seeing her drawn weapon in the bedroom.

"It was definitely off," Natalie corrected him, smacking him ever so lightly on the hand in chastisement. "But these two were so cool about it even though they didn't have vests on or anything, like it wasn't even a big deal."

"Yeah well," Kate shifted uncomfortably under Josh's tightening grip. "I think you were the one that convinced him to drop it."

"Please," Natalie scoffed. "You were the one that warmed up the stage for me."

"So modest," Castle murmured, trying once again to divert the conversation.

"And it was all over divorce proceedings?" Josh asked, perplexed.

"Not really," Kate demurred. "It was more about the money in it. Divorces and infidelity are always messy," she hoped the finite tone would convince everyone to let the subject drop. "Did anyone want to order a drink?"

"So were your divorces messy, Castle?" Natalie ignored her.

"I'll take that drink, Beckett," Castle turned to her enthusiastically and flagged down a waiter while both she and Josh reeled a little in the face of Natalie's less than subtle question.

"Vodka martini, a scotch straight, a Steinlager and," Kate paused in her order to turn to Natalie for hers.

"I'll have a vodka martini as well," Natalie smiled.

"Two?" The waiter confirmed and bowed away at Kate's affirming nod. Efficient service, though she couldn't help but imagine he was escaping from the painfully uncomfortable aura that had gathered over the table. Then again, maybe that was just her feelings jading everything. Josh certainly didn't seem affected other than a little taken aback at Natalie's audacity. The actress herself seemed to be having a great time.

Kate didn't even have to look at Castle to know he was in the same boat as her: systematic torture.

"How was your day today?" Kate asked Josh, the only safe subject she could think of. "You said you had some complications?"

"Nothing too serious," he shrugged. "My last patient tanked on me during a bypass, but he pulled through."

Okay. And that was that.

…

Beckett hummed, a subtle purr in her throat, not in agreement but more like acknowledgement. She didn't move to ask any further questions and Castle's instincts flared sharply. He wasn't sure what he thought her relationship was with Josh, mostly because he avoided thinking about it whenever possible, but he had thought there was a little more communication.

Who was he kidding? Beckett probably chose him because they didn't talk.

No. That wasn't charitable. There weren't any barriers between Beckett and her motorcycle man, so of course she talked with him. It was probably just the intrusion of two extra people on their date which stifled them.

Worst double non-date ever.

"So Josh, Kate mentioned you were a surgeon?" Natalie leaned forward, imitating Beckett's posture in the interrogation room, Castle realised. He was just glad that she had moved the discussion. He personally felt that all the practice with small talk really paid off at awkward dinners.

"Cardiac," Josh confirmed.

"Impressive."

"Not really, it's just a muscle."

"So a cardiac surgeon and a homicide detective?" Natalie smiled, the same one she had when she couldn't help but be amazed by some new facet of Beckett she discovered. Apparently dating a cardiac surgeon was one of them.

"That's us," Josh looked down at his girlfriend, with something sickeningly like awe on his face. Awe and pride.

"Good for you," Natalie congratulated them warmly. "How long have you been together?"

"We have our six month anniversary in a couple of weeks," Josh grinned, his face lighting up fully for the first time and Castle felt his stomach twist a little. How could he seriously resent a guy who looked that happy celebrating half a year with Kate Beckett? If he was ever that lucky, he would be at least that foolish. If he was only that foolish, he would be damn surprised. He would need a medal.

Then there was the kick in the gut remembering it wasn't him.

That would be Josh, with his arm around her now and receiving Beckett's soft smile.

"Good for you," he mimicked Natalie's congratulations, unable to muster more than a half assed smile. He instantly regretted it when he found the courage to look across at his partner and saw her eyes burning on him. Was it anger at how short he was to her boyfriend? Regret? Sympathy? Beckett shifted uncomfortably when Josh pressed a kiss into her hair and it made him twitch guiltily. If he was going to do this, he might as well do it right. She had put herself in this incredibly awkward (for them) position to help him.

He could be her wingman for a night.

"So any plans for the big day?" he forced a playful jolt into his eyebrows and leaned toward the couple, looking up at them eagerly and pumping for information.

"Dinner, maybe?" Kate looked up at Josh questioningly. "I'll be on call."

"Uh, sure," he smiled at her.

"Do you know your roster yet?"

"No," he admitted, watching the waiter work his way over to their table with their drinks. "But I took a half day off, so…" Josh shrugged, aiming for nonchalant.

Well, crap, Castle thought. Workaholic took time off.

"Oh," Kate replied, turning to the drink left in front of her with a little too much enthusiasm.

And Kate didn't.

Wingman! Warning! Warning!

He opened his mouth trying to magically conjure something and get her back the way he would at the precinct, but sneaking fingers cut all creative thought out from under him. Castle dropped his eyes and sure enough, bold as could be, Natalie's fingers were walking crab-like down from his elbow towards his hand. He swallowed and hurriedly jerked his hand from where it rested on his lap, not wanting to give the actress any ideas, but the digits refused to be displaced and contentedly closed in on his knuckles.

His eyes snapped up to meet hers but found they weren't even turned is his way; she was still outwardly absorbed in the non-conversation between Kate and Josh. When he transferred his gaze to Kate however, she was struggling to hide the disbelieving look he felt plastered on his face.

_Did she just? _Kate asked silently.

Yes. Yes she did.

_What are you going to do?_

I don't know. What am I supposed to do?

Well this was just great, he thought. Renowned playboy stumped by someone holding his hand against his will. He could see it now. _Too hot to handle? Nikki Heat's author, Richard Castle crashes and burns while at dinner with muse and actress casted to be his on-screen creation._

Oh, and muse's boyfriend. Don't let the papers forget that little detail.

…

"Did you catch the game last week?" Castle nodded to the TV behind the bar. After they had ordered their meal, Castle had escaped to the bar, seriously contemplating slipping out of the toilet window if Natalie followed him. But it was Josh who followed him with an easy smile and he seemed content enough to sit at the high mahogany trimmed bar and nurse a drink.

"Nah," Josh shook his head and rolled his bottle of beer between his palms.

"Not a sports fan?"

"No, I love a good game, but with being on call all the time, I can never watch a straight run. You have no idea how bad it is to watch a few minutes in the staff lounge then get called away. A few months into my internship I just gave up. One time my team would be kicking ass, but by the time I got back, they'd be on their ass."

"Who's your team?"

"Knicks."

"I feel your pain," Castle grimaced and clinked his glass to Josh's bottle.

Exactly how much did this guy work anyway? Enough that he gave up on trying to watch basketball? Seriously, what were the chances that he missed every single game?

"You work a lot of nights then?" Castle asked absently. That shouldn't make him happy, but the thought of Josh not being there at night lifted a weight off his chest. Jealous much, he berated himself.

"We're a little understaffed," Josh shrugged. "Between relief missions and lack of funding…we all pick up a few extra sifts every now and again."

Castle just nodded.

"But Kate, she's really great about it."

"Yeah," Castle agreed. "We have out own fair share of impossible hours, so she could definitely relate."

"We?" Josh frowned. "You go to all the early crime scenes?"

"Yes. Unfortunately, my subliminal messaging in my books haven't convinced _all_ the murderers to work during normal office hours."

"What do you do?"

"A little bit of everything. Except the paperwork, I cut out on that whenever I can."

"Everything?"

"Yeah."

"The actual investigating?"

"My fortay is the crazy theories, but when those are wrong," Castle shrugged. Looks like Josh knew nothing, though Castle had to wonder how much he knew about what Kate did either.

"How is that research?"

"It's good for the protocol and technical side of things, but more than that I want my characters to be real too and wanted, want, to honor the work they put into it. It's not like T.V and a high proportion of our cases are cold. Between looking at computers all the time and all those financial files, I'm surprised we're not blind yet." He tried to explain as sparsely as possible when he saw Natalie approaching.

"I guess I didn't realize." Josh didn't look very happy.

"You should see him in interrogation." Natalie rested her hand over Castle's shoulder and rubbed it like she was proud of him.

"You're quite interesting yourself," Castle demurred.

"Please," her hand was moving up towards the back of his neck. "The way you and Kate bounce off each other? No chance. They're like one person," she informed Josh. "But hey, 9-5 or sometimes 4-11… it makes sense. I kind of envy it, I see my colleagues for maybe a month or two before another job comes up."

"That's show biz," Castle smiled. "But I'm glad you enjoyed your time with us."

"Oh, it was amazing," Natalie gushed. ""I felt like I had been adopted, like I was your new kid."

"Their kid?" Josh asked quietly.

"Sure. Detectives Ryan and Esposito are always calling these two Mom and Dad."

And they are so grounded.

…

**Any awkwardness you'd like to see? Let me know. **


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't. 

Based on episode 3.11 where Natalie Rhodes shadows Beckett for Nikki Heat character research. Hope you like it.

**Sorry for the wait.**

**Reviewers and everyone reading, you are awesome. ****ありがとう。**

Roving Heat

…

"_Oh, it was amazing," Natalie gushed. "I felt like I had been adopted, like I was your new kid."_

"_Their kid?" Josh asked quietly._

"_Sure. Detectives Ryan and Esposito are always calling these two Mom and Dad."_

_And they are so grounded._

…

He ran away.

That much was abundantly clear. Not that she blamed him. She could see him and Josh at the bar and his shoulders weren't nearly as tense and the two were talking comfortably, a fact which made her both anxious and slightly envious. Castle certainly had charm. But he also held more of her secrets than any one else she knew, some of which he probably didn't even realize were moments she shared only with him. The more she thought about how much he knew, she found it harder to think of things he didn't. Harder still to pinpoint why she didn't want Josh to find those details out.

But what was the worst that could happen? Natalie was still with her at the table.

She let her eyes wander over the other occupant in the booth. Natalie's eyes had been focused on Castle when he walked away in a speculative, strategic kind of way that made Kate wary on his behalf. Now though her eyes were focused on her phone, her finger sliding through the scroll menu with a slight frown on her face.

A glimmer of porcelain and incoming movement from the side of her eye alerted to the incoming wait staff, balancing a meal securely in the crook of each arm. The sight helped her pull herself back into the restaurant and out of her head to be comforted by the buzz and thrill of undulating conversation. The whispers teasing at her ears and the enthusiastic bellows of laughter barraging in on her attention. However, the conversation taking place between her friend and boyfriend at the bar was tantalizingly impossible to make out. She should really give a consideration to lip reading.

With admirable dexterity, the waiter juggled their dinners before placing them silently in front of herself and Natalie. Before he straightened, Kate could already see the remaining dishes in the arms of another fresh-faced girl. Part-timer. Student or just new to the City?

Castle would probably say she was an under-aged slave shipped in illegally from Europe by the restaurant owner who had a loan due to the mafia, so was underpaying the staff and using the money saved on wages to pay off his debt.

She smiled at them in thanks and at the notion, unconsciously creating reasons to debunk Imaginary Castle's theory. Natalie finished with her phone in time to dazzle the second of the wait staff.

"It looks great," she beamed.

"Sure," Kate smiled, her imagined interlude loosening her chest a little.

"I'll just go get the guys," Natalie slipped out, leaving the phone in the middle of the table and Kate regretting not using the same opportunity to escape just for a few minutes and talk with Castle alone.

The blonde sauntered in the direction of the bar and Kate knew the exact moment Castle became aware of her presence as his shoulders contracted and rounded ever so slightly. She had to give it to him; he had excellent instincts, though she had always thought of him more as the hunter than the hunted.

Kate watched in open disgust, temporary reprieve over, as Natalie worked herself into the conversation and petted Castle, her hand so casually perched on his shoulder. Josh was frowning now at whatever Natalie was saying and when she saw Natalie's fingers slide into the hair at the base of Castle's skull, she turned away, her stomach tight and an acidic taste on her tongue.

She reached for her second martini, hoping the vodka would wash it away with the alcoholic burn but Natalie's phone began chiming before she could lift the glass to her lips. It was a familiar tone and fell silent after half a minute. Kate tried to place the sound, had she heard Natalie answer her phone? Natalie was one of the most famous Hollywood actresses…it made sense she would get a lot of calls.

It began again and Kate, unable to place the familiar melody, glanced over at the offensive device, annoyed at the insistent shrill she couldn't classify. She felt another kick to the stomach when she saw Gina's blonde hair and carefully made-up face floating above the sliding answer option, the quirked eyebrow and pouted lips seeming to grow more arrogant with each note.

That wasn't Natalie's phone. It was Castle's.

Perfect. Just perfect.

The image went blank when the answer phone kicked in, an icon flashing over his main screen indicating he now had a total of five missed calls. Five? He can only have had his phone off for what…? Two hours? What was the probability all of those were from Gina? He had turned his phone off to avoid being tracked, so it was logical that at least one was from Alexis after Castle bolted from the loft.

At least Kate hoped that was the case. It grated on her to think of Gina chasing him down so thoroughly, especially after siccing Natalie after him.

But she certainly couldn't pretend she hadn't seen the two calls or justify even thinking about denying them, so she picked up Castle's phone and moved to slip out of the booth. When it rang in her hand for the third time she almost dropped it, leaving her juggling after it like a fool.

"Richard?" a voice demanded, whip-like through the speaker. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Kate grimaced, seeing her juggling had accepted the call, hit the speaker icon, as well as a completely redundant number 1.

"Richard Castle, so help me!"

Heads were swiveling in her direction from all the nearby tables and she had to envision a big hole in the floor just big enough for her, before she could reactivate the touch screen and cancel the speakerphone. She didn't move quickly enough it seemed as she heard the whispers take on a different tone, not just scandalized or annoyed, but with his name now on their lips. If none of them told the press about this it would be a minor miracle.

"Hi, Gina," she grimaced in apology to all the eyes on her and began to pick her way over to Castle at the bar as fast as she could without causing any more of a scene.

"Natalie?"

"Uh, no. It's Detective Beckett."

"Detective Beckett."

"Yeah. Just give me a second and I'll… get Castle." She took the phone from her ear, not at all interested in a conversation with her partner's ex-wife/ girlfriend, but not before the mutter she heard through the line:

"I see he found his way back to you after all." It was muttered and barely audible, so Kate told herself she was imagining the resentful edge to the other woman's voice. The phone was a good three inches from her ear after all.

Kate was closing in on the bar now and was taken aback at the way Josh was practically slugging down his beer. He was usually a fairly restrained drinker, preferring to nurse a beer over the night in case he was called into an emergency surgery.

Beside him, she noted Castle's feet were both planted on the floor, the weight on the balls, rather than comfortably tucked around the rungs on the stool the way he customarily sat at the Old Haunt. Ready to go. The guy was seriously flighty. She was still a few meters out when his head snapped around to meet her, his face a little desperate. The movement dislodged his ear from Natalie's hand and put his face in range instead, almost as if he had turned his head deliberately to nuzzle into her fingers.

"Beckett," he practically cried in relief.

"Hey," she nodded and slid in between him and Natalie, cutting their contact by replacing her face where Natalie's hand was as she leaned in over his shoulder. It radiated warmth she could feel dance across the exposed flesh on her chest. The skin of his throat was red and she brutally relegated that to the drinking, knowing if she considered it a reaction to her presence, she would twist herself up. Because she already had enough trouble blocking the warm, clean scent of him from her senses. It would be so easy to just skim the tip of her nose against the skin of his throat less than an inch away.

She wondered if it would be smooth the way he kept his face now, or a little rougher on his neck like it had been when he first started shadowing her.

He turned a little into her, bringing them almost cheek to cheek and she felt a kick that made her swallow. She so badly wanted it to be guilt, with Josh sitting within touching distance, but she wasn't that foolish.

But she had put that all behind her. And the reason was still waiting on the phone Kate held in her hand.

"Gina," she murmured lowly, just loud enough for him though Gina's calling was hardly a secret she had to whisper in his ear.

He sighed and took the phone from her. "You'll have to excuse me," he apologized.

"Dinner's been served. Do you want us to wait?"

She pulled away, straightening her spine as he pushed his stool away from the bar. "I think I'll just catch up," his smile was cosmetically fake. "Don't let yours get cold."

Wow, Natalie wasn't kidding when she said that Castle and Gina weren't on good terms.

Natalie smiled at him, showing all of her veneered teeth while Josh just flagged down the bar tender and ordered his third (fourth?) beer of the night.

Kate frowned at this and rested her hand on his shoulder. "Is everything okay?"

"Sure," he smiled.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She didn't believe him.

"Okay," she didn't know what would happen if she pushed it and wasn't willing to try it here with enough eyes on them as it was. "Well how about we go and get started?"

"The salmon looks amazing," Natalie pitched in helpfully, obliviously beginning to lead them back to their table.

Josh followed. He also brought his bottle, the cold wet residue from where he had been cradling it dripping like a sweat down her palms when he took her hand almost possessively in his. He released it long enough to slide into their half of the booth, a wide seat not unlike a couch. For all the efforts the new midtown restaurant had gone to in order to make diners, it was lost on Kate who felt like she'd overdosed on caffeine- something she hadn't thought was possible, waiting on edge for Castle to get back. It wasn't logical. If anything, his presence would aggravate her jitters, but she wanted her shadow there. Somehow when he was there, things worked out, and she knew to admit when she was out of her element. And right now she was drowning.

Josh was still quiet, focused on his meal and Kate couldn't think of anything but short replies to Natalie's exclamations over the food. For a famous actress used to the finest of everything, she was surprisingly vocal in her appreciation of the decidedly three-star cuisine.

At the thought of Natalie's tendency towards vocal, a kick of nerves like vertigo shunted her stomach quickly towards her chest and dropped uncomfortably back down.

Not her problem. Not her problem.

She pushed her chicken around her plate, her appetite long gone and watched Natalie blithely picking from Castle's meal. It ate at her, though she knew it shouldn't, when Natalie went through and picked out the sprouts from his salad. That was something Kate did. She knew Castle didn't take any particular offense to the scraggly vegetation, but he always managed to talk her into taking his share of them whenever they ate together.

"This dressing is amazing," Natalie gushed. "You've got to try some!"

She was offering Castle's food out now?

"I'm covered," Kate politely turned her down. "So…what were you and Castle talking about? An insight into Nikki Heat?"

"Oh no," Natalie smiled. "We were just talking about Detective Ryan and Esposito. I just have this image in my head of the two of them now: Esposito is like a German Shepherd and Ryan is soft like a Golden Retriever."

"I'll be sure to let them know," Kate murmured, shock the only thing keeping her face straight. How had Castle not laughed loud enough when he heard that for the whole restaurant to hear?

"They are so cute," Natalie's smile was almost nostalgic. "Calling you guys Mom and Dad," she recalled with a fond twinkle in her eyes. "I told Rick it was almost like I was adopted for a week."

"The little sweethearts," Kate grated through her teeth.

Yes. They would definitely be hearing about this.

"So have you guys thought about kids?" Natalie asked brightly, shaking off her paltry few days of memories with the two other detectives on Kate's team and staring at Kate and Josh with interest.

Castle where are you?


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't. 

Based on episode 3.11 where Natalie Rhodes shadows Beckett for Nikki Heat character research. Hope you like it.

Roving Heat

…

"_So have you guys thought about kids?" Natalie asked brightly, shaking off her paltry few days of memories with the two other detectives on Kate's team and staring at Kate and Josh with interest. _

_Castle where are you?_

…

Castle liked filling in the gaps, making a credible narrative out of completely random facts and a good pinch of the ridiculous, but even he was having trouble with this one.

He had been relegated to the bathroom and was sitting on a toilet, a very nice one he had to admit, so he could have enough privacy to try and navigate a conversation with Gina without it ending up on page six. A few minutes into the conversation he had taken the liberty of holding the earpiece a good inch from his ear.

Gina seemed to be a lot more vocal this time round. Her cold distain and temper had been replaced with a passion he had always associated more with Meredith. But Gina had certainly turned a corner, ever since the case he and Kate were abducted by 'aliens'.

Jealousy didn't look good on her, and it didn't make things any easier on him either. Could he claim complete honesty and then with clear conscience say there was no basis for her jealousy? Because there was only one woman not related to him by blood that he would break out of prison. And it wasn't Gina.

One sided or not.

"It's just a dinner," he managed to get in when Gina paused for breath. He would giver her one thing, her career afforded her a much more developed bank to draw words from. Pissed off she may be, but very articulate.

Bless her blood-sucking heart.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she demanded again.

"I told you," he sighed. "I had my phone off to avoid Natalie, who you sent after me, I might add."

"Don't even start with me. Do you know how lucky you are to have someone like her to play your character?"

"Yes, in fact I do. She seems to be taking every opportunity to remind me how lucky I could be."

"Oh, what's the matter, Ricky? Is your nine-year old restraint failing you? You say you've resisted the genuine inspiration for over two years, Natalie's attentions shouldn't be a problem."

"Gina," he warned. "Leave Beckett out of this."

"Beckett, right. Your _Muse_."

"My friend," he reprimanded her.

"Well maybe your _friend_ will be willing to share. You can enjoy the real thing and Natalie at the same time, it should be a really inspiring night of experience. Let me know how that works out for you."

They both bit off retorts in shock at that last comment, leaving the bathroom silent. The only indicator she was still on the line was her labored breaths, betraying the depth of her hurt. He knew it was hurt that had her lashing out: hurt she wasn't his inspiration, that she could wrap herself around him all summer and it was still Kate he was thinking and writing about.

He could have any one, even Natalie Rhodes.

But she should know better than to call him a cheater. Knew better.

"Rick.."

"I'm going to try and forget you just said that," he said quietly. "But my dinner is now cold so I will be rejoining Natalie, Beckett and her boyfriend, so you can rest easily. I'll be chaperoned." Then he hung up.

He may not love Gina, but he hated that they had to keep hurting themselves. He let himself out of the bathroom stall, pleased to note that the carefully off-white tiles were clear of other patrons, but it wasn't until his dress shoes dodged two tables on his way back across the room to no attention that he let his mind drift from the threat of bad press and breathe. The unconscious release of the tight bands in his shoulder took him off guard and he drew in a pained breath. Between all the women in his life…his mother, Gina, Natalie…Beckett.

Oh God, Beckett. He owed her so much. Triple for picking up that damn phone. Would she go for an exotic vacation? Hell, he'd even spring for Josh to go.

He spotted the three members of his party eating quietly, but rather than her usual relaxed posture when they were eating at Remy's, Beckett's spine was ramrod straight, playing polar opposite to Natalie who was bent forward slightly over the table, almost as if she was trying to draw conversation out of the couple with magnetism.

Castle knew the type. Natalie said herself that the hardest part of being an actress was staying still and doing nothing. She obviously didn't cope well with silence, she needed a basis for her lines, a prompt.

It was Josh who spotted him first and gave him a relieved nod. He must have squeezed his hand where Castle could see it placed on Kate's thigh, because she looked at him in askance, then followed his stare until she too locked eyes with the approaching writer.

Her face was almost washed with relief until she took a closer look at him and she saw her eyes narrow, pinching at the corners in her customary worry. Worry for him.

It took him a few puzzled heartbeats to process the hard lines his face was set in. Of course she would pick up on that, though she probably thought it was tension after his call with Gina. He imagined starching his face into smile lines and tell them all he was fine.

Which he was. And he shouldn't be, not if he really cared for Gina. He should be hurt…want to fight…

But he was more upset at the sight of the surgeon's hand so comfortable high up on Kate's thigh.

Not his problem. Or just his problem, not his right.

"Apologies for my absence. The call went on a little longer than I had originally anticipated," Castle murmured, slipping back into his seat next to Natalie and across from Beckett.

"It's fine," Natalie forgave him. "I'm sure we'll find a way for you to make up for it."

"I dare say," he smiled tightly. He noted that their meals were mostly gone. Josh would have to eat to balance out all the beer, but Beckett uncharacteristically looked like she'd barely touched her meal. His eyes flicked from the plate as he suppressed a frown and managed to catch her eyes.

With the amount of energy she expended and her irregular opportunities to have a good meal, she usually did a thorough job when they managed to get an uninterrupted meal, if only to stop his pestering. The tightness around her eyes warned him now was not the best time to push the issue.

Natalie had managed to polish off her meal, obviously unconcerned about her figure.

He looked to his own plate and took in the diminished salad and distinct lack of sprouts and glanced up to Beckett, surprised she would pick off his plate when they had company. She just looked quickly to Natalie and back, her mouth thinning in what he assumed was irritation. So, hurricane Natalie hadn't blown itself out in his absence. He wasn't sure either of them could take much more time with the actress.

Castle cringed internally to think what questions Natalie had been asking to make Beckett look like that. Josh looked less than thrilled so perhaps it was about one of their more dangerous cases; he had seen Natalie looking at some of the records on Ryan's computer. As long as she didn't tell Josh about Beckett's apartment getting blown up.

Probably just a matter of time.

While beyond grateful Beckett had tried to run interference with Natalie on his behalf, sacrificing her night out, it was clearly a mistake. Maybe if he left and played hide and seek with Natalie another few hours until her plane left, Beckett could salvage some of her night. Lord knows she deserved it.

"How was everyone's meal?" he asked, ignoring his cold plate of lamb.

"Amazing," Natalie rolled her eyes for emphasis, snaking her hand into the crook of his arm.

Looks like she didn't master the Beckett eye-roll, Castle thought absently. C- for execution and timing. A+ for perseverance. Well, so long as she took that quality and followed him when he found a polite way to get himself out of here. Maybe he could get Alexis to text him and tell him there was a family emergency?

"Good, good," he smiled, still mentally planning his escape. Oh, but can't act suspicious. "How about you two?"

"It was fine," Josh's smile was just a twitch from a slight frown back up to neutral. "Babe?"

Beckett's jaw tightened but she smiled through it up at her boyfriend. "Good. It was really good."

"Excellent," Castle enthused. Mentally he was picturing the tableau as a Norman Rockwell; it would probably look like a good group of friends or two friendly couples enjoying and laughing over a dinner out. "Anyone for dessert?"

"I don't know," Josh hesitated.

"I don't know about you," Natalie smiled. "But I've been craving dessert for a while now. Something sweet and hot," she sent Castle a sideways glance, her fingers still warming in the crease of his arm.

"Everyone likes sweet and hot," Castle agreed, deliberately not removing her hand. He wanted her to follow when he left, so he would just have to man up and permit the pretty lady her perfectly socially acceptable grip on him.

He felt so cheap.

"Sounds great," Beckett slid away from Josh, crumpling his brow with confusion. "Order for me would you?" she tossed over her shoulder, lightly snatching up her clutch. "I just have to visit the ladies."

Both men nodded and Natalie waved absently from behind the dessert menu. The identical movement from across the table drew his eyes to Josh, who was looking at him with the same wary surprise. He realised Josh was probably just as off balance as he was; he had never even thought to consider Beckett hadn't been talking to him, he always ordered their desserts. But no, she was probably talking to her _date_.

"I think I'll go with the Clafouti," Natalie announced.

"They have that?" Castle asked, relieved to have a legitimate claim for the end of his battle of eyes with Josh. Not that they were staring hard, but Castle couldn't let his gaze fail first.

"Sure," Natalie smiled at him, scooting closer so they could share the menu. "Anything you want?"

"I'm feeling a little old-fashioned tonight, I'll try the apple pie."

"Classic," she hummed not moving away at all. Castle took the menu from her and passed it to Josh, pulling his shoulder clear of her warmth. "I guess even Rook enjoys a safe choice every now and again."

"On the contrary, I think you're underestimating the expertise necessary to make a good piece of pie. I'm a very discerning apple pie connoisseur."

"I'll just get a tea," Josh swiveled his head and caught the attention of the waiter. "I don't think Kate will arrest me for stealing a taste of her cheesecake."

"It does sound good," Natalie concurred. "But I'm more of a baked cheesecake kind of girl."

"I didn't even see cheesecake on the menu," Castle admitted.

"It was about a third of the way down the page," Natalie informed him, demonstrating her powers of observation with all the seriousness of the CSU techs recalling a crime scene. "'Chocolata Supreme: our signature cheesecake born of a decadent combination of the finest American ingredients and the bewitching indulgence of Ghana's premium Fair Trade chocolates'," Natalie read.

"That explains why I missed it," Castle told her. "I skip over anything starting with the word 'chocolate' or similar." He didn't mention it was a habit he had picked up after he had started working with Beckett. The detective like chocolate well enough, but not chocolate flavoured anything. Not even his shakes at Remy's. Well, maybe sometimes, but she's always crinkle her nose after she took a mouthful and hand back the hijacked drink.

She also assured him he didn't need any more sugar; he took after a child quite enough without sharing the same eating habits.

"I'm not sure Beckett likes chocolate cheesecake though," he offered to Josh casually.

"I brought home a slice from a work function to share a couple of months ago. She told me it was really good," Josh smiled, the night in the past obviously pleasant enough to restore his current dispirits.

Then she was lying, Castle thought, his patience already low enough without getting into a yes and no tug-of-war with his friend's boyfriend. He owed Josh for tonight and so let him place the order and resolved to keep his 'I told you so' to himself. He would also avoid imagining why Josh was smiling and how Beckett had obviously distracted him long enough the cake was no longer edible. She said it was good, huh?

Maybe there was one occasion Beckett permitted the use of chocolate sauce

The thought was too sudden to sensor and he hastily raised his glass to his lips only to find it already empty.

…

Kate couldn't take this anymore.

Not just Natalie's presence, but watching her and Castle together. She was so sick of watching and waiting for his admirable control to snap- Natalie was gorgeous, famous and rich. How much control was one man supposed to have? Yes, he was in a relationship, but it was rocky and Gina had even orchestrated this.

All of her own justifications couldn't manage to detract from her awareness that she was acting because of the sick cramp in her stomach. That was fear. She was scared in the faith she had in her friend and terrified of what it was going to do to her if he didn't have the strength to fight Natalie off anymore.

So here she was in the bathroom with her horribly flimsy plan.

It only took a few seconds to compose the text which she then left open and ready to send immediately at any time.

It took a few more minutes of solitude to recharge and prepare her to return to the restaurant. Josh was there, hopefully helping keep the actress occupied. Castle should be eating his dinner while waiting for dessert rather than charming Natalie further. She just had to get them all through dessert. She could do that.

She could, but she had a horrible plan B just in case Castle cried 'apples'.

…

At her seat was a daunting slice of chocolate cheesecake which Josh looked very proud of. Kate smiled wanly at him, her taste buds already cringing and bewildered as to why Castle hadn't ordered for her. He knew her taste buds better than she did some of the time.

When she looked across to him, he was sporting a doorstep sized piece of apple pie.

Loud and clear, she thought. I can hear you loud and clear.

**Not long to go. I'm writing the last chapter now but might have to split it for length. So one or two to go.**


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't. 

Roving Heat

…

_At her seat was a daunting slice of chocolate cheesecake which Josh looked very proud of. Kate smiled wanly at him, her taste buds already cringing and bewildered as to why Castle hadn't ordered for her. He knew her taste buds better than she did some of the time._

_When she looked across to him, he was sporting a doorstep sized piece of apple pie._

_Loud and clear, she thought. I can hear you loud and clear. _

…

That smile? The one Beckett's giving you right now when she saw that piece of cheese cake? She's faking it.

Just Joshing!

Not.

I told you so.

You're a nice guy so I shouldn't rub it in but, I told you so, I told you so, I told you so.

Katherine Beckett does not like chocolate cheesecake. Boo yah.

Outwardly, Castle just gave Beckett a sympathetic smile as she settled herself back down into her seat. "Good timing," he congratulated her. "Dessert just arrived."

"Then I guess I don't have to apologize for taking a call," Beckett answered, subtly slipping the cheese cake a few inches away from her elbows as if she were only trying to clear herself some space.

"A call? Do we have a case?" Please God…

He caught the slight continuation of the pull between Josh's brows at the word 'we'- either that or he caught Beckett's lack of enthusiasm over his choice in dessert. Castle couldn't help but pity him a little if it was the former. Josh had been pretty courteous and had started the evening genuinely making an effort to befriend the author and tolerate Hollywood's resident blonde slasher. Castle also suspected that Josh had a lot of questions, not just about his role at the precinct, but also about what Beckett did. The poor guy never got that far, still clueless as ever about Beckett's work environment, save he had begun to realize just how much time his girlfriend was spending with another man. Enough time that they were considered work-married. Thank god, Natalie never found out about that.

"No," Beckett admitted, looking over to Josh in an attempt to include him. "Esposito was just calling me about the drinks night you guys were arranging for Ryan and Jenny."

He and Esposito were organizing a drinks night?

"He was checking to see if I was free Friday night since we have Saturday off," Kate prompted him. There was that 'we' again…

Kate raised her eyebrows, waiting.

Oh, okay. Adlibs! He loved that game.

"Sorry!" Castle clipped his head, overplaying it a little. "I was supposed to ask you about that and get back to Esposito tonight. I guess I got a bit sidetracked."

"Uh huh," she snorted. "So Castle," her voice lowered teasingly. "Was there something you wanted to ask me?"

"Not really," he shrugged, going for the safer of the responses in his head when he saw Josh's tighten arm around her. A bad choice of words on her part perhaps.

"Not really?" she asked disbelievingly.

"I'm guessing you already told Esposito the answer," Castle explained nonchalantly, enjoying their game.

"Shut up," she huffed, her mouth twitching a little.

He took a mouthful of pie and grinned, amused by the knowledge that Beckett hadn't taken a call at all. She had escaped to bathroom and had considered not coming back. Great minds think alike. Just get through dessert. Draw Natalie away then go underground. Good thing he took enough cash out to last without having to resort back to his card.

And he probably should organize some drinks for the happy lovebirds. Maybe just something quiet at the Old Haunt? He could get Eddie to play the Wedding March when Ryan and Jenny arrived, though he wasn't sure if the wonky tune out of a smoky piano would prove to be a good omen.

Then again, lasting like the Old Haunt. Intriguing, colorful, smelly. Well maybe smelly wasn't the quality he would wish on his friend's marriage.

Bootlegger. A grin tugged at his face at the thought and he shoveled in another mouthful of apple to stop a laugh at Beckett's curious face. She was probably wondering what on Earth he could find to laugh about. He just shrugged at her. Blame it on frayed nerves.

The next movement he made was completely out of his own control.

It was firm, it was bold, and it was completely unapologetic.

The long fingered hand Natalie had kept docked at is elbow wasn't content when displaced by Castle's movements to feed himself; pulling his arm up and out of its grasp, ditching it in favor of carting pie from plate to mouth. In retaliation it slipped unobtrusively beneath table, bypassing the tempting slope of his knee to settle possessively in his lap. Immediately upon arrival it began a firm stroke, almost a mixture of caress and measuring.

Castle choked on the last of his mouthful of vanilla ice cream and involuntarily kicked his leg out, attempting to remove his hips from Natalie's hand.

Beckett gasped out, smothering a cry as his pointed dress shoes hit her exposed shin, the movement causing her to automatically shy away from the impact, throwing her shoulder backwards into the arm Josh had wrapped around her.

The mouthful Josh had freshly swallowed gushed from his mouth, pressured by surprise and Kate's shoulder pressing air from his lungs straight into Natalie's face. The actress reflexively threw both hands up, unconsciously protecting her eyes from the milky tepid liquid decorating her face, neck and upper torso. The sudden, tearing withdrawal of her hand sent Castle's leg into another involuntary spasm, but when he kicked out, Beckett caught his foot between her calves and held it there, a happy prisoner incapable of further harm.

Josh stumbled to his feet, catching his weight on his hands when his legs caught at the table edge and offered Natalie the use of his napkin, the shock of his action seemingly restoring the manners of earlier in the night. Castle, dazed by the heat of Beckett's bare legs burning through his thin pants, could only admire how much tea Josh had managed to ingest in one gulp and at the spectacular range he got on it. He must have a good set of lungs- probably worked out when he was free and Beckett was working.

Still clouded with a cloying detachment, it did not occur to him to offer up his napkin when Josh's alone was so clearly inadequate for the task. It was Beckett who shook off the shocked stupor and offered it up in his place, reaching across and stealing it from under the lip of his barely touched dinner plate. The twist of her body was hampered and uncomfortable when her legs refuse or forget to release his own, still smoldering away where she ensnared it. Natalie shooed Josh's hands away and accepted the fresh napkin with a composed nod, her uncharacteristic silence betraying her surprise as well, though she masked it well, calmly tousling her hair to catch any tannin remains before swabbing her neck and exposed upper chest.

Josh reclaimed his seat, his cheeks a shade darker and all three, still bound by silence and waiting for a response, focused on the actress. The nearby tables too were eerily silent, onlookers in their finery all watching and waiting for the judgment.

He was going to have to call Paula and give her some advance warning so she didn't have an aneurism and take it out on him when she found out second hand. _What the hell were you thinking spitting all over Nikki Heat? Do you know how much we're looking at for the adaption, not just the rights, nut the adaption? A lot, okay. And it'll be a hell of a lot more if you don't offend or chase off one of the biggest names in Hollywood!_

Ah, yes. Paula was her own personal brand of spitfire: excellent so long as she wasn't spitting the fire at you.

It wasn't until Natalie had smoothly placed the two used cloth napkins on the empty edge of the table and ran her hands in a quick inventory over her face and hair without comment that Josh attempted to apologize. With befitting calm, she waved him off, unruffled. The easy-going adaptability of a good actress- not a diva- even let her smile when she saw the apprehensive stares from around the room.

Natalie stood slightly and waved around the room, smiling largely. Who did she think she was impersonating? Hillary Clinton? The Queen of England? "I'm fine," she announced. "Thank you. Oh, and the Clafouti is really good."

Castle had to admire the open friendly way she told the whole of the restaurant to essentially go about their business.

She sat back down, a socially acceptable amount of space between them for the first time since adopting their seating arrangements. It should have given him a sense of reprieve, but paradoxically it just made him jumpier wondering when Natalie would make her next move and what said move would be. He felt like he was on a dare, encroaching on a rabid sleeping dog, wearing nothing but a meat tie, waiting for it to wake and attack.

At the thought, he snuck his distant hand slowly across the table and grasped as discreetly as he could at Beckett's napkin and began to tow it towards him.

Already wide with disbelief at the chain reaction she had unwittingly participated in, Beckett's eyes bugged wider still when she saw him draw the napkin over the edge of the table, folded thickly enough to protect against further exploratory ventures, and place it strategically into his lap. He grimaced and gently removed his leg from between hers and crossed it, resting the back of his knee on top of the other to add an extra barrier between his hips and Natalie's hands.

He let him believe for a second Beckett's blush wasn't embarrassment but at the soft, sliding friction caused when his leg parted from hers.

"I'm so sorry," Josh apologized again, his face still a little red. Beckett squeezed at his elbow, silently apologizing and reassuring him it wasn't his fault. Oddly enough if anyone was to blame – aside from his drastic overreaction- it would be the very person currently being apologized to.

Karmic justice, or so he liked to think.

"It's fine," Natalie assured him again. "It could have done with a little sugar," she smiled. "But at least it wasn't coffee. You wouldn't believe how many shirts I've lost to coffee."

"I don't drink coffee," Josh informed her quietly.

"Really?" Natalie looked puzzled. Out of the corner of his eye, Castle saw Beckett's hand slip beneath the table for a few brief seconds before resurfacing.

"I don't like being on edge when I operate," Josh explained.

"So you drink it on your days off?" Natalie pressed. Castle was baffled by her intensity, pondering over it when his phone went in his pocket. He fished it out, shooting them all an apologetic smile. When his eyes found his partner across the table however, her face was pale. He frowned in concern, but she just tilted her chin violently at his phone.

Puzzled, he activated the screen and saw the simple line of message.

_Call my phone, NOW._

It was from Beckett.

"No," Josh answered Natalie's question. "I never drink it."

This time it was Beckett's leg that jumped nervously along the side of his. And then he got it.

Oh, crap. His coffee. The one Beckett had denied was Castle's while he hid under the bed by telling Natalie it was her boyfriend's. The boyfriend who coincidentally took his coffee the same way Castle did.

The boyfriend who just admitted coffee never graced his system and who now looked a little concerned with the way the actress's eyes snapped violently to Beckett's face.

**Last one coming up soon. You are all great, thanks. **


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't. 

Roving Heat

Last one, have a good time.

…

_Oh, crap. His coffee. The one Beckett had denied was Castle's while he hid under the bed by telling Natalie it was her boyfriend's. The boyfriend who coincidentally took his coffee the same way Castle did. _

_The boyfriend who just admitted coffee never graced his system and who now looked a little concerned with the way the actress's eyes snapped violently to Beckett's face._

…

Come on, Castle. Come on. How hard was it to understand the single line of text she sent him?

When Montgomery told her Natalie Rhodes wanted to shadow her for a case, Beckett had said yes, figuring she couldn't take it any worse than she had Castle's flaming crash into the middle of her existence. There might have even have been a little question of personal pride involved as well; if she was Nikki Heat and Nikki was going on the screen for millions of people to see, she damn sure wanted to make sure her fictional counterpart wasn't going to be completely wrong for the job. Though she never told Castle, at least not in so many words, she loved Nikki Heat. She didn't want to regret anything.

She hadn't figured on the extent Natalie would take her research to and just how strong her work methods were. While Beckett knew it was no hard task to spend time with a person, study them and then mimic them, Natalie seemed intent to _become_ the character, using Beckett as her stepping stone. And Beckett hated to admit it, but Natalie seemed to have gotten into her head when it came to looking at the clues and putting the pieces together. She hadn't thought Natalie was going to be sharp at all.

Blonde. Hollywood. Zombie movies and slasher flicks.

But she could follow a trail better than Kate would have ever thought possible.

Two hot cups of coffee in Kate's apartment. One is Kate's. One with cream and two sugars, the way Castle takes it, supposedly for Kate's boyfriend. Kate says she's alone. Boyfriend doesn't drink coffee and Castle turns up under Kate's bed. Kate denies both knowing of his presence and that there was anything between them.

Kate struggled to remain unfazed. She preferred the, "I have no idea what you're thinking right now, Natalie' look to the 'I only made Josh coffee for the first time in six months today. How was I supposed to know he didn't drink it?' look. She wasn't sure she sold either of them.

Kate had to hand it to Natalie, the woman had a talent for throwing her off balance.

Natalie's eyes were suspiciously narrowed, though her tone was sweet enough when she pumped Josh further. "You don't drink coffee? I thought everyone in New York drank it. The way the detective here drinks it, I thought there must be a law somewhere."

"As lead detective, she likes to lead by example," Castle offered weakly, his previous charm faltering now Natalie actually had possible evidence. "The only rule I've seen her flaunt is jaywalking."

Kate couldn't help the way her eyes stayed closed a second longer than necessary when she blinked, internally groaning at how pathetic that was. She sensed Natalie lining up her next question when the chorus of Clarence Carter's _You Talk Too Much_ fought its way through the material and open clasp of her clutch up to hearing range.

It took all of her dignity and strength to stay in her seat, head straight and chin up. Why the hell had she given into her impulse and put the customized ringtone for Castle on her phone? She scrambled through the small bag to shut the tone off. Why didn't she remember to put it on silent?

Castle's jaw was on the table.

"Sorry, I've got to take this," she temporized, mortification ruining the pre-planned dialogue in her mind. "Beckett," she answered briskly, the way Josh and Natalie had seen her accept work-related calls in the past. She deliberately avoided Castle's eyes as she pressed on, fumbling for a piece of paper or spare receipt in her small wallet to take notes and sell her one-sided conversation. All she had in her clutch was her badge, gun, credit card, license, lipstick and her keys.

A pen smoothly entered her field of vision from in front of her and she smiled up at Castle who seemed to have recovered from his shock and guessed at her plan. It was hardly an original. His eyes were dancing still as he handed over his pen and returned his hand into the inner pockets of his jacket to draw out a small notebook, humming out the refrain to himself. He was never going to let her live this down, was he?

In her defense, she never thought he would ever hear the ringtone, because if he was calling her, he should be on the other end of the line presumably on the other side of the city, not the other side of the table.

And it was their song.

Who was she kidding? He was going to use this against her for the rest of her life.

She froze, her heart trying to kick down to her stomach as she mentally reviewed her unconscious grumblings. When had she started thinking of this thing with Castle being for the rest of her life?

Kate could feel Josh and Natalie staring at her but she couldn't swallow the nerves clogging her throat that just left her staring at Castle dumbly as he retrieved his pad, still humming their song, and offered it to her with a smile. When she didn't take it immediately, Castle's blue eyes turned concerned and jump started her back into her role.

"No, go ahead," Kate spoke into her phone, clearing her throat and accepting the notebook, popping the pen into action and coercing her face into the appropriate level of decorum due a fresh call out, rather than the fish out of water expression she was feeling. "Where?"

She jotted down a few random numbers onto a fresh page in Castle's notebook, not stupid enough to manufacture an actual address on paper or out loud in case Natalie decided to follow on her own.

Friends, she thought to herself as she double checked to make sure the numbers on the page were nonsensical. BFFs… as in friends forever. Castle was one of her best friends, of course she saw that lasting…for a long time. Right?

She ripped the page swiftly from the book and slid it neatly back into Castle's waiting hands. "How long ago was it called in?" She waited a few seconds for the imaginary answer, nodding once. "Okay, we'll be there in fifteen."

She hung up on Castle's call and tossed her phone back into her clutch, making sure it was on silent, just in case she did get a call before they made it out of the restaurant. Across from her Castle was collecting his coat with a grin wide enough to put the joker to shame. Beside him, Natalie looked like she had won her third Oscar for the day, eagerly collecting her belongings and Kate almost screamed.

Was this never going to end?

"I'm so sorry," Kate turned to Josh and gave him a quick peck, her jaw tight to keep her keen of frustration in.

"No," he gave her a small smile, his eyes flickering to the waiting writer standing off her shoulder. "When you get a call, you go."

"I'm sorry," she apologized again.

"It's fine. Wake me up when you get in."

She squeezed his hand. She hated lying, and leaving him here with Natalie – just not as much as she hated being with Natalie herself.

The actress was getting to her feet, obviously making ready to follow them. Oh, for the love of God! What would it take?

Castle saw Natalie's intent flashing in her face and when she was fully erect, he stepped in close, sliding his hands around her elbows and lightly kissing her cheek, mirroring the peck she gave Josh.

"It was lovely, Natalie," he told her with admirable warmth. "I'll definitely drop by to catch up when I come down to the set."

Kate felt her stomach clench in protest at the thought, him on the other side of the country surrounded by people like Natalie: rich, blonde, gorgeous, and oh so interested in the author. Plus she couldn't imagine him out running the actress in her own backyard. She didn't know if he had any friends in L.A who would let him hide under their bed.

Not her problem, God, she had to get a grip on herself. Plus Castle wasn't that guy, the 100 mile rule. He could handle himself…probably.

He went to draw away but Natalie's fingers closed around his forearms and he froze. Angry rolls of heat chased away the cramps in Kate's stomach.

"We didn't get much time to talk," Natalie chided him. "I had a few really important questions for you. Maybe I could ask them on the way to the scene?"

"I don't think…," he broke off, looking at Kate for help.

"I'm afraid not," Kate grimaced, thankful that at least that expression was genuine; the thought of Natalie chasing Castle and her around another case was painful enough to contort her face - even if this was an imagined crime scene. "The preliminary observations at the scene are critical and we'll be tied up for quite a long time. You have an early flight; you should stay in where it's warm and get your beauty sleep."

Castle nodded with too much enthusiasm, slipping out of Natalie's grasp. "Beckett's right. One gorgeous freezing woman at a crime scene is enough. Two would be redundant."

He flinched as the words came out and, choking under the blush flooding her throat and teasing her cheeks, Kate smacked his arm before Josh got any ideas. To her surprise though, Josh caught at her hand on the recoil and looked over it, his face scrunched in concern rather than in indignation. His thumbs smoothed over her skin and she watched him curiously until she understood and bile joined the cocktail of nerves she'd been drinking all night.

He was checking to make sure she hadn't hurt her burnt hand.

When he saw the flesh was unmarred, his eyes lifted to hers and he tried to take her other hand, but she kept it clenched in her coat, knowing there would be nothing there for him to find.

"I told you," she reminded him gently. "It was nothing." Really. If he saw her hands he would know, it was absolutely nothing. Just a cover for Castle being a little girl under the bed. But she wasn't supposed to know he was there let alone cover for him.

She prepared herself to stare him down, not ashamed of her actions harboring her friend, but it wasn't her face Josh was watching silently.

…

It was the first time Richard Castle had ever hailed a cab and then just told them to drive. It sure beat the drive to the restaurant in Natalie's town car- it didn't seem to matter which way the car turned, it always seemed to send Natalie listing into his side. At least she hadn't tried groping him. No, she had the decency to wait until there was a table to hide her hand before she did that.

This was much better, even if the expanse of legs now teasing him from the end of her winter coat was the only reason they had managed to hail a cab right outside the restaurant.

"Do I get a say in how you kill me?"

"No," Beckett replied shortly.

"Is it going to be painful?"

"Yes."

"Is it going to be quick?"

"You're not that lucky." But the corners of her mouth quirked up a little and he felt a grin starting to stretch his face as well.

"Are you at least going to kill Esposito first?"

She let out a snort of laughter and shook her head. "Not on the top of my list," she smiled.

"Oh come on, Beckett," he deliberately inserted a wheedling tone into his voice and saw her lips quirk higher. "How many times do I have to say sorry before you consider not killing me?"

"I'm not going to kill you, Castle. As an accomplice, I need you to keep me company in the cell if they ever actually find Natalie's body."

"What are the chances of that?"

"Not too high," Beckett admitted. "You're good at disposing of bodies. That and I only ran her down and reversed over her in my head."

"Pity," Castle commiserated.

"Yes, well. I was just thinking of Alexis."

"I'm sure she'd appreciate it."

Beckett hummed, craning her head back on the stained back seat of the taxi and closing her eyes.

"I'm sorry about your night," Castle murmured, guilty. He had always taken it upon himself to make her life a little lighter. After tonight and her date with her boyfriend, she should be relaxed and happy at home, not sacked out, exhausted in the back of a questionable New York taxi with no destination.

"Don't worry about it," she intoned dully, the earlier energy already drained away.

He nodded, leaving it alone and directing his attention out the window to the sparse lines of people decorating the cold pavement between the street lights. He silently critiqued the neon signs they headed past until he caught sight of an enticing one.

"Can you pull over just through the next lights?" he asked the driver, breaking through the monotony of the crackling radio. He figured the two blocks walk back to the store would throw Natalie off if she followed. He was really getting paranoid now.

Beckett roused at his instructions and looked at him questioningly to which he just shrugged in answer.

"Can't stay in a taxi all night."

"Wanna bet?" he barely heard the grumbled response of the driver talking to himself, but he choked on a laugh at this charming insight into the world of a taxi driver. People actually did that? The stories this guy must have…

The transition from moving to badly parked was nearly non-existent, and he was fleetingly glad as he flew forward into the seatbelt that Beckett had glared at him until he fastened it. She could have been glaring at him for all sorts of reasons, in retrospect she probably was, but he chose to believe it was out of concern for his safety as it just saved his life. Credit where it was due.

"Where are we going?" Beckett asked when she had slid out of the car and was balanced again on her heels, puffing slightly in the cold, looking over at him with raised eyebrows.

"Didn't you figure that into your escape plan?" he teased her, hoping that he could lighten up the rest of her evening.

"Well excuse me for not always needing to have an escape plan and safe house ready at a minutes notice when I'm out to dinner," she retorted, her eyes scanning the streets out of habit.

"Excellent proof that you dine with good company," Castle returned lightly, starting back down the block. "In my line of work, you have countless already in mind and planned through, available to execute whenever possible. Sometimes it gets bad enough I actually pass my time thinking of more. Don't even get me started on meetings."

"I won't," she gave him a small eye-roll for old times' sake, apparently convinced they were safe.

"Unfortunately, you figure into a lot of these plans. That's all the advance warning I can give you."

"What?"

"You can't complain. It's your own fault."

"How is it my fault?" Beckett protested, stepping out of her place at his side and cutting their progress off, her face indignant.

"You are an extremely trustworthy character, Beckett. I'm sorry. There are only two people on this planet who wouldn't sell me out; Alexis and you. A man has to count on these things when laying emergency escape plans."

He tried to pass it off lightly, but the truth behind it must have been transparent enough that Beckett saw it because her mouth was slightly open in surprise, her brow furrowed with an equal mixture of shock and pleasure. He decided to let her stew on that for a while, rather than try and dig his way out and offend or hurt both of them.

They walked quietly for a half block, Beckett thinking and processing while Castle tried subtly to draw in as much air as he could and make stylized clouds when he exhaled to keep his mind from predicting what conclusion Beckett would come to. He didn't regret saying it per se, he just knew it was more honest than they usually allowed.

"Martha would sell you out?" Beckett managed to sound amused when she broke the silence a minute later.

"In a heartbeat," he joked. "Good booze, good part. A good leopard skin."

Beckett hit his arm with a small 'ha' of laughter. "So in these escape plans where I manage to steal you away from whomever is chasing you, where do we go?" Beckett asked out of nowhere, startling him with her frank acceptance.

"It differs," he admitted, matching her deliberately light tone. "I personally favor the one where we end up on that beach in Florida. Two words: Pina Coladas."

"Uh huh," she smiled, giving her head a small shake. "And when we don't have luggage pre-packed?"

"Well," he stopped and bowed dramatically when she whirled to see why he was no longer at her side. "Tonight I was thinking this would suffice. It's not Pina Coladas but they do a mean Crème Brule," he pulled the door open to the coffee shop he had seen from the taxi. "I think I owe you a good dessert and a strong coffee."

"You know this place?" Beckett asked, joy dancing in small lines over her face and chasing the residual tension out of her eyes.

"Never heard of it," he admitted with a grin and she clipped his shoulder as she stepped through in front of him. "But I promise not to spit my coffee on you."

"Worst double-date ever," she chuckled.

"What?"

**Thanks for reading. See you soon with some one-shots. Keep up the countdown.**

**Thanks again. **


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey there, long time no see. **

**Just wanted to let y'all know I'm starting a sequel, ****_History Reheating._**

**Here's a spolier for you.**

"Are you the officer who took the report?" she asked, resigned.

"Yes Ma'am. Detective."

"Was there another woman with Ms Haas when she filed this report? Maybe a blonde? Tall and looks a lot like -"

"Natalie Rhodes?" the man interjected.

Figures.

"She was there?"

"Yeah," the officer on the other end let out his reply on an amazed breath but caught himself and cleared his throat. "She was quite distressed."

"I'll bet she was," Kate muttered sourly.

"Detective?"

"He's not missing. He's just…gone underground."

"I'm not sure I follow."

"You don't have to, just dismiss the case. He's not missing."

"I'm going to need some evidence to officially drop the case. He hasn't been back to his hotel and we have no credit card usage since before he…_went underground_. May I have your permission to review a copy of the call you received from Mr Castle last night?"

She felt her face flame.

"No!"

Her gut clenched just thinking about what he had made her do over the speaker last night, what she had said to him. God she had missed him so much.

"It was a personal conversation. When he contacts me next, I'll get him to call you if you leave me a contact number."

…

She entered her credit card details and hit process. She reached back in her office chair and turned on her printer.

"Sir, a family emergency has come up…"

Her receipt page loaded and she fired it off. Great, she had half an hour to pack and be out the door. Maybe she should call for a taxi now.

"It doesn't sound like I have much of a choice,"

"No, Sir," Kate admitted. You don't.

...

**Yeah... so thanks for your time. Maybe I'll see you when I start publishing it. Have a good one.**


End file.
